Shakespeare and comedic enhancement

Shakespeare’s Sonnet revolves around him belittling a woman, due to the differences in her actions and what he believes a woman should be doing. While ultimately still showing love for her despite those differences. This idea is further enhanced within the BBC comic relief video. Catherine Tate and David Tate both provide amazing performances that aid in improving many aspects of Shakespeare’s sonnet. Catherine’s character is more lively while still encompassing the “Dull” characteristic that’s described in the original sonnet. Often interrupting the class and making snide comments about the teacher as he desperately tries to move the conversational topic back to Shakespeare himself. Eventually, this leads to the teacher confronting the student, much like how Shakespeare confronts the women for acting improperly. The student then proceeds to perfectly and passionately recite Shakespeare, during which he sees some shock and slight hints of respect come from the teacher’s facial expressions. We can interpret this to be the other idea within Shakespeare’s sonnet that despite the many imperfections there is still love for the person. Finally, the confrontation between the two ends with the teacher transforming the student into an action figure and continuing the lesson. Overall the comedic skit serves well to present the idea despite what could be deemed as “flaws” love and admiration can still be seen within a person. Despite Catherine Tate’s character being portrayed as rude or annoying, we notice that the character has an extremely in-depth understanding of Shakespeare, being able to recite it flawlessly and connect its themes to a real-life situation. The Skit enhances the theme by connecting it outside of the simple idea of politeness and beauty, but rather connects the theme to the characteristics of intelligence and wit, and how they can be present within characters who might not act in those ways at face value.

– Eduardo Ojeda Jr

Interpretation of Beauty Ideals

William Shakespeare is a poet who when thought about we think of love and undying passion. His sonnet “My mistress eyes are nothing like the sun”, follows the proper format with three quadrants and ends with a rhyming couplet. The tone of his sonnet compared to his other poems has a tone of irony, the opposite of the eternal love poems that we are used to him writing. Dominant themes in this sonnet include a male speaker expressing their love/lust for a woman. Quite seemingly objectifying her physically and spiritually. However, when reading the last two lines of the poem, “And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare as any she belied with false compare” (lines 13-14) I realized that the poem doesn’t talk about objectifying a woman. Rather the topic is that women shouldn’t fall under beauty ideals.

Now answering the question if the meaning of Shakespeare’s sonnet was transformed or enhanced by Catherine Tate’s classroom performance. I believe that it was transformed because at first, the poem seems to be calling the speaker’s mistress plain, “I have seen roses damasked, red and white, but no such roses see I in her cheeks” (lines 5-6). Especially since the speaker is a man, that detail further reasons that he is simply comparing women to beautiful symbols and placing her beneath them. Yet when Catherine read the sonnet with an angry and loud passion, the sonnet for me was transformed. That loud passion and fast rapid pace gave it an uplifting tone as if she rejected those comparisons and beauty ideals. I felt it more empowering for women when she read those metaphorical lines with a disregard for them. Since already in the video she seemed to not care for Shakespear, she chose the perfect sonnet to prove that she disregards what he tries to portray.

The sonnet written by Shakespeare and Catherine’s interpretation has one overall similarity that makes either way read correctly. The similarity is that they both reject the beauty ideals that women “have” to fall in. Through Shakespeare’s last rhyming couplet, we as readers understand that his love wasn’t rare, it was simply real because he didn’t care that his mistress didn’t look perfect rather to him she already was. For him, this sonnet would’ve been read in a slow pace and softer tone just as the rest of his poems. However, Catherine read the sonnet with confidence and pride as if the comparison she read were beneath her and all women, ultimately rejecting beauty ideals.

~Jeshua Rocha

Shakespearean Sonnets Taught By Dr Who, Interpreted By An Annoying English Student

Shakespearean sonnets are taught to many different students around the world, I from first hand experience know that they have been teaching us about Shakespeare’s work since middle school. Many students are not the biggest fans of Shakespeare’s work, but we all know it and I can confidently say that even if you are not a fan of literature you would be able to recognize what a Shakespearean sonnet looks like in the Elizabethan teaching of English Literature.

The poem “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun,” sonnet 130 written by Shakespeare, we are introduced to a mistress which Shakespeare describe in an unorthodox fashion, he explains that “if snow bobwhite, why then her breast are dun,” “And in some perfumes is more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.” Instead of painting his mistress in a light that depicts her beauty and that make the reader think about her in an angelic way, he does the complete opposite and writes al about her flaws. And although Shakespeare decides to do the unconventional and write about his mistress’ flaws, we interpret it as a way to say that her mistress is REAL, that she is human and not perfect like a doll or in this case the sun.

In the poem Shakespeare chooses unconventional, he chooses not to write a poem that us received as your “normal” poem talking about the beauty of a woman. We also find unconventionality in the Catherine Tates’s classroom performance. In the video, Catherine Tete plays a student who is not well behaved, and does not depict the characteristics of a model student. Catherine has her character mock the teacher and say he reminds her of “Dr Who” or saying “I don’t think you’re qualified to teach is english” because the teacher is Scottish. However when the teacher has finally had enough of Catherine he threatens to fail he, she then surprises everyone by reciting “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” a sonnet by William Shakespeare, as mentioned previously. She surprises even the teacher as nobody would expect this from a baldly behaved student with such a reputation, however is happened and she did it correctly, she know what a Shakespearean sonnet is by heart.

This is unconventional and I think in a way helps emphasize the unconventionality that Shakespeare goes for in his poem. Just like how it doesn’t seem normal for Shakespeare to write about loving a mistress who, according to the sonnet, is imperfect is so many harsh ways, writing about her in a way that makes her seem so awful, it doesn’t seem normal for such an awful and uncumbersome student would have the ability to recite a poem by Shakespeare. I also think that there is a better emphasis created on the sonnet by the fact that such an unorthodox student would recite such an unorthodox sonnet by heart, in my eyes this enhances the horribleness of the mistress and brings a stronger pull on the words that are written by Shakespeare.

Another thing that what was worth mentioning when comparing the video and Shakespeare’s sonnet would be the turning point, the volta, that is present in both the poem and the video. Because the poem is a Shakespearean sonnet then it is structure with 12 lines that allow for a narrative build ups and two final couplets that are a turning point in the poem. And just like in the poem, the video is structured in a very similar format with the most of the initial part of the video building a narrative of the dislike that the Catherine’s character has for reading and for Shakespeare, however in the last few lines of the videos she recite the poem and surprises everyone, bring a turning point to the video, a last clap-back and her professor is you will. The video is essentially structured as a sonnet.

Guadalupe Lemus

The Beauty in Perception

Everyone who reads poetry has their own interpretation for what they believe was the main purpose and message behind one’s work. In fact, regardless of whether or not a poet intended a specific meaning, all readers could argue a different viewpoint with their own reasonings if desired. This week’s focus for free verse poetry included “I Sing the Body Electric” by Walt Whitman and “We Are All Whitman: #2: Song of/to/My/Your/Self” by Luis Alberto Ambroggio.

Walt Whitman’s “I Sing the Body Electric” was quite an entertaining poem to read amongst classmates, and it was even more ‘electrifying’ having experienced it through the powerful voice of one of our peers, followed by the professor’s take on performing it. During the discussion, I realized from a third person’s point of view how much of a difference it makes when someone reads such excerpts aloud and how much easier it was to analyze the rhythm in contrast to mental reading. The beauty in this poem was the concept that no set rhythm stayed consistent throughout. There were so many highs and lows that it was nearly impossible not to hear the passion behind every line from start to finish. Whitman heavily emphasized his views on men and women being equally powerful in their bodies, an opinion that was once immensely controversial during that time period. This in itself creates such a dynamic atmosphere and really sets the tone for how the poem should be expressed. As each body part was mentioned and appreciated, there was a sense of explosion in terms of overwhelming feelings which I feel really helped in translating the significance of equality here. The more chaotic the rhythm was, the more influential the message.

Luis Alberto Ambroggio’s “We Are All Whitman: #2: Song of/to/My/Your/Self” shows listeners the different ways the poem can be interpreted simply by reading it in a different language. Here, sound and rhythm play a huge key factor because we get to witness different tones within those languages, and be able to pick out where each poet emphasized what parts of the lines. It was beautiful to hear the Spanish and Persian translations as someone who doesn’t understand either language. Coming from a trilingual background myself, I loved when at the end they discussed how each language almost gives the poem a different feel and meaning; perception is different for each reader. I also believe that each language has its beauty in being able to interpret words with a specific tone and accent. The music in the background was another major factor for the recognition of ‘sound and rhythm’ because not only did it set the tone, but it almost seems to accentuate the different languages they read in. It goes to show that each language has its own way of producing word flow because accents play a part in sound as well, and those sounds are what create an ongoing rhythm. This is why music is also considered as poetry because each sound and word go hand in hand in order to get a message across, and those words create perception.

Simranpreet Kaur

Rhythm and Meter

This assignment proved to be far more difficult that I had originally imagined. I assumed it would be a cake walk, considering how much simple the examples in class seemed when we were all collaborating and working to solve them together. However, upon giving “Delight and Disorder” Robert Hedrick and “Still to Be Neat” their first readthroughs, I realized just how silly it was to assume this would be easy. I’m still very new to this whimsical world of poetry, and I find myself easily lost and confused in reading the lyrics of both poems. That being said, I persisted against my doubts and tried my best to form an educated opinion about each of these works, so that I might be able to decide which one more truly represent what art means to me.

After scratching up my printed copy of the works like a confused adolescent cat might tear apart a table cloth, I came to the following conclusions about their rhythm and meter. “Delight and Disorder” is mostly iambic, with four foots per line. There are a few exceptions, including lines 4 and 12 which seem to demonstrate one iambic foot, accompanied by one anapest foot. I say anapest because something is telling me the meter is falling at the end of these lines, providing a moment of relax therefore emphasizing the line right after it. As for “Still to Be Neat”, I guessed. This poem read very chaotic to me, and for the longest time I felt like a couldn’t find a pattern. But after a while I started to see something, its probably very wrong, but it’s my best attempt. Line 1 seems like a basic four foot iambic, and line 2 seems to start with two iambic feet and end with one anapest foot. Line 3 makes it even more complicated, I read it as a four foot trochee. And then line 4 seems to be two foot trochee followed by a one foot anapest, very similar to line 2 only backwards. I might be in denial, but continuing to read the poem I saw this same strange pattern, Iambs dancing around with trochee and anapest foots like its nobody’s business, only solidifying that chaotic feeling that I touched upon earlier. To be perfectly honest, I feel like I sort of tripped and stumbled to these conclusions. I cant say that I’m correct about anything evolving my hypotheses, but having a rhythm to follow in my head made deciphering the other aspects of the poems a whole lot easier.

In my opinion, “Delight and Disorder” portrays more of a wild and carefree message, as it lacks of control.

Rhythm and Meter

When it comes to the two poems, “Still to be neat, still to be dressed” by Ben Jonson and “Delight in Disorder” by Robert Herrick, they both individually tackle varying depictions of the nature of art. To which I believe that “Still to be neat, still to be dressed” is more effective in representing this. This is because while “Delight in Disorder” effectively addresses the complex nature of art in certain ways, by using dactylic prosody which represents the rolling of words in each line to describe how art can slowly hit you all at once. I feel as though with this poem it focuses more on how art is precise and often used as a distraction rather than it being left up to interpretation.

On the other hand, “Still to be neat, still to be dressed” focuses more on how art can be appreciated but not always felt. There won’t be an emotional response every time. Jonson achieves this by using spondaic prosody within his poem seemingly to attempt to strike you with words in every line. It’s more effective in representing art since it prompts us as readers that the nature of art is subjective. And how we see it can vary in comparison to how someone else perceives it.

Patricia Brewer

Perception of a women’s beauty

by Randy Hernandez

The poem “Delight in Disorder” by Robert Herrick and the poem “Still to be neat” by Ben Johnson do agree on the nature of art. At first the title don’t seem to connect together. Herrick title strongly suggest that he finds art in disorder. In johnson title is suggest the opposite of Herrick nature of art instead he sees art, when one is in a state of perfection. Johnson nevertheless isn’t very fond of this as he states “All is not sweet,all is not sound”(line 6). When Johnson said this it gave the presumption that he doesn’t see true art when one gets rid of their imperfections. The use of synesthesia with taste and sound that are described makes the reader feel the opposite of what is described. Instead sweet it’s sour and instead of sound it’s unpleasant. Johnson ends the poem witt “They strike mine eye, but not my heart”(line 12). Getting rid of ones imperfection may be pleasant and trick the eye but it doesn’t do the same to the heart. This quote reflects the idea that it may seem like true art at first but it truly isn’t. In Herricks poem it’s a bit more straightforward as he doesn’t hide the fact he sees art imperfections. He starts his poem off with “A sweet disorder in the dress kindles in clothes a wantonness” (line 1-2). When Herricks see imperfections in a women it catches his attention. The use of the word wantonness suggests this idea of creating attraction towards the women. Herrick is more fond of a women being disorder state then being perfect. He also ends in semmily away as Johnson did. Herricks ends with “Do more bewitched me, then when art Is too precise in every part” (line 13-14). He gives the metaphor of him falling under a spell as he sees disorder in art then art being perfect

Expectations and Payoff.

Herrick’s poem “Delight in Disorder” begins with the setup for a simple rhyme scheme, pairing the word “dress” to the last syllable of “wantonness”. This in turn makes the reader expect for a word in the fourth line to pair with “thrown” from the ending of the third line, but we are given the word “distraction” witch also acts as a distraction. In addition, this subversion of expectations acts as an example of a “Delight”, the clever bit of using the word distraction as a literal distraction, within something that can be seen as “Disorder”, the unfulfilled rhyme. Therefore, the poem itself is a display of delights within instances of disorder.

In “Still to be Neat”, written by Ben Johnson, we are presented with a fairly consistent rhyming pattern throughout the entire run of the poem. The rhyme and choice of imagery gives the poem a sense of sincerity and emotional depth. However, it is a totally insincere exploitation of language and feelings so that in the last line when he states,” …They strike mine eyes, nut not my heart.” he reveals the hidden lack of deeper meaning, subverting our expectations.

Both of these poems work to challenge our expectations and agree that that is a major force within art, however, I do not believe that these writers completely agree on the total nature of art.

Andrew Hardy

From Scrubbing Floors to Commodores

It all started on the streets,

All I could do for money was push carts.

I think therefore I am,

You can call me Rene Descartes.

Woke up the very next day,

Part of a revitalized team,

I was no longer a thug,

I started living the dream.

My people and I went from scheming, to believing,

Started diligently studying for my family,

And before they knew it I started achieving.

After another long day of work,

Full of scrubbing out mold,

Finally told my mom, “I’ll be wearing Black and Gold.”

To understand poetry or to not understand poetry

Upon reading Marianne Moore’s original piece of “Poetry”, I believe that she was conveying how poetry can be addictive to read.  She describes the obscurity in it as intriguing, yet as a disliked aspect as well.  For example, Moore provokes confusion in the common reader with the line: “imaginary gardens with real toads in them” (line 24).  While this complex concoction of words is difficult to understand, there is an underlying message of inviting the reader into a deeper realm of reflection. Once the reader reaches this level of reflection, poetry is much more meaningful then the words at the surface.  Cutting her initial 29-line poem down to only three lines emphasizes the obscurity further to allow the reader to pave their own meanings from the rawness that the author of the poem provides.  The obscurity is a double-edged sword, which can turn people off from the mystique of poetry, but also serves as a fuel for the passion that stems from the reader.  Originally, I believed that Marianne Moore was using an ethos approach to connect to readers by stating “I too, dislike it,” (line 1), when referring to poetry.  However, I realized that she was simply stating that there is a process of digging beyond the surface to understand the intended meaning of the author.  In the abbreviated version, one is forced to think deeper, because there is less description, and thus more room for personal interpretation.